


A Minor Change

by CC Writes (Capoeira)



Series: Step off of Fate's Path [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Childhood Friends AU, Friends to Lovers, Multi, adrien and mari are precious, chloe gets with multiple people it'll be explained later, please help, still superpowers just some changes due to the shift
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-08-23 02:34:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8310493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capoeira/pseuds/CC%20Writes
Summary: One change can alter a person's entire world--and their childrens. When three women who were never meant to meet become friends, how will that change the future? Will they still grow up the same, or will everything be different?





	1. Chapter 1

Fate is a funny thing sometimes, it can shift the world you thought you knew and present an entirely different option; One you'd never have thought you'd have. It was, of course, always your choice whether or not you wanted to follow the path it opened, the extra path on your road of life. Fate was always ready with another option, always ready for change. But even the smallest deviations from the original path could change a life forever.

That was the case for Sabine Dupain-Cheng, wife to a baker with a brand new business, a new home, and ready to welcome a new life to the world; And Rosa Bourgeois, wife to an on-the-rise politician, the child growing within her destined for wealth and success. Two very different women, with very different lives, but they both had one thing in common.

A lonely pregnancy.

Their husbands were both busy with work, and although they tried to help out however they could, Sabine with the mixing and the housework, and Rosa with paperwork and organizing, the men in their lives didn't want to take chances this far into their pregnancy. So they were on their own most of the time, their friends and family far away from their new homes. And so, on one insignificant day in Paris, both of them decided that maybe it was time for some fresh air.

A choice that would change everything.

Because, you see, Sabine grew hungry a few blocks into her walk— _something not uncommon these days, honestly_ —and across the street, not too far from her, was a food cart. Rosa, who was mid step, caught the scent of the food and instantly grew hungry. The urge too strong to resist.

That's how the two women found themselves waiting in line for a quick treat, a single tourist separating them.

And then fate intervened again.

The tourist became impatient while waiting, and forced himself forward, forcing Sabine to stumble as he passed her. Fear rushed through her as she began to tumble, terrified for her child. However, Rosa reacted quickly, moving forward to steady the woman, concern coloring her face. Her eyebrows quickly furrowed as she met the gaze of the tourist, spewing out insults and curses that were not welcome in polite company.

It was at this same time that Sabine opened her eyes, finding a very pregnant belly staring back at her. She was put back to rights then, the tourist forced away by the salesman. The ladies ordered their food, Rosa's hand still steady on Sabine's arm.

Perhaps it was fate, or simply motherly worry that prompted the two women to sit together as they ate. Small talk about their pregnancies and their lives evolving easily into funny stories, complaints of over protective husbands, and talks of the future.

Maybe it was simply the joy of finding someone else in the same situation as them, new in a city and pregnant. Whatever it was, whether it be fate or chance, the two found themselves exchanging numbers, promising to meet up again as soon as they could.

Weeks passed, and the two found themselves meeting nearly everyday, to chat or to shop, or simply to plan for their upcoming births. There was always so much to plan for, after all. Their husbands were ecstatic about the friendship, having felt guilty about being so busy. Tom would bring up snacks for the ladies when they spent their day at Sabine's home, and André would surprise them with lunches when they spent it at the Bourgeois residence. They began to spend their free time creating small designs for their children, painting dressers or making little knickknacks for their walls. This went on for quite a while, until Rosa got a call from an old friend, one who'd recently moved to Paris with her husband, another lonely woman looking for companionship.

Immediately, Rosa brought the subject up to her now close friend, asking if she could bring her along to their next meet up. Sabine agreed, laughing as she explained it would be nice for the woman to see just how much of a watermelon she would soon become.

And that was how Celeste Agreste, long time friends with Rosa Bourgeois, joined the women, creating yet another change in fate's original path.

Of course, things were different now that they had both a politician's wife and a known supermodel together. They'd stopped meeting at Sabine's unless it was necessary, but no amount of change of where they met hindered their friendship. Gabriel warmly welcomed them into his home, proudly speaking of his family and his growing career. He made them each their very own outfits, ones that were used in a professional photo shoot to show their deep friendship and their pregnancies. He vowed that he'd work on a proper maternity line when time permitted it.

The three of them became the closest friends they'd ever had, promising to be with each other during birth, to raise their children together. They wanted their children to bond and care as much about each other as they did for one another.

And that was how it all began, how three people who would have otherwise never met, became entwined in eachothers lives. That was how they completely changed their children's paths, for better or for worse.

 

 

 


	2. Welcome to the World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! For those of you who follow/followed this series, you'll recognize this chapter as one I've already posted. I've decided to just converge it into one story instead of posting them separately, just to keep it condensed. I should be putting in a new chapter relatively soon, though!

The first to be born was Chloe, and she was by far the hardest of the three. Rosa hadn't been expecting her water to break in the middle of shopping, she hadn't been due for another two weeks. But Chloe was ready to make her appearance, and she let it be known by forcing her mother to call for her husband, all while apologizing to the nearest store clerk about the mess.

The next few hours were incredibly hectic, the Dupain-Cheng's had to close their bakery in the middle of a rush, forcing people to make their decisions hastily so they'd make it to the hospital. Gabriel had to leave in middle of a meeting, his wife calling over and over again until he finally got the point.

Then it was a struggle to find out the room, the situation, how far along she was, who would be with her. Normally, it would be her husband, but Rosa wasn't exactly up for seeing him when she was in such excruciating pain. She cursed at him until he left with his hands up, leaving it to the ladies for the birthing process.

And just as she had sped up her own birth, Chloe wasn't playing around when it came to entering the world. Barely two hours had passed before her screams filled the air, healthy and brilliant and everything Rosa had ever wanted. She could hardly hear the congratulations from her friends and the doctors as she stared at her little girls face, the chubby cheeks, the already visible light hair. She had her hair!

When it came time to hold her, Rosa couldn't help it. She cried, fat tears dripping down her face as she stared at her wiggling infant, amazed that she had brought something so beautiful into the world.

“You're perfect, my little Chloe.” Rosa said quietly, cheeks hurting from smiling, “You're going to be so happy, I promise.”

After all, she had wonderful parents, two friends on the way, and some pretty amazing aunts and uncles to look forward to.

 

* * *

 

 

The next was Marinette, and if there was anyway for her to be the exact opposite of Chloe, she fulfilled it. Late by almost three weeks, Sabine had actually grown worried for her child and had consulted her doctor on the subject. After a long discussion, and suspected worries over the child, they decided to induce labor.

And it wasn't easy, nor was it quick.

It took hours of struggle, to the point where all non-staff had to exit the room. Sabine was terrified when the words 'strangling' came out of their mouth, when 'choking' came immediately afterwords. She could feel an emptiness inside of her that could never be replicated. Her baby was out, she had entered the world, but she wasn't breathing. There wasn't a singular cry.

Everything became white noise, every inch of her focused on the tiny form the doctors were working on, the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. For a brief moment, Sabine struggled with the thought that maybe she wouldn't be welcoming her baby home, not ever.

And then, with some quick thinking and amazing luck, her baby was breathing again, a sharp, choked cry filling the air.

Nothing in the world would ever be as satisfying to hear as that.

Later, when her baby had been cleared, and she was able to hold her, she leaned her head against her husband's chest and allowed herself to relax. Allowed herself to believe that this was real, that she could have this. Took in the red cheek, the dark curls, the tiny fingers and toes that showed that her child was alive.

“You're my little miracle, Marinette.” she cooed, knowing in her heart that it was true.

 

* * *

 

 

Adrien was, of course, the last, and wasn't one to let anyone down. He wasn't quick like Chloe, or terrifyingly slow like Marinette, but he seemed to have his own pace when it came down to it. By the third hour, Celeste was almost fed up with how inconsistent her contractions were. The doctor's assured her it was perfectly normal, that every birth was different. But she hadn't even realized she'd been in labor at first with how inconsistent it had all been!

“It's time for you to come,” she said to her stomach, clenching her teeth as another contraction hit. Begging for something to just give already!

She thanked every god she knew of when the doctor finally told her it was time to push.

When it was all over with, and she was a sweaty, tired mess, she ignored the amused laughs from her friends. The assurance that they both knew how it was, that it was okay. She was finally given her child, the weight more than she had expected, and everything fell away when she looked down at his tiny face.

It became clear then that it was all worth it, every hour, every horrifying feeling, the terrible pain. She'd do it all again just for this moment.

“He's a trouble maker already, isn't he Gabe?” she joked when they were finally alone, making her her husband chuckle.

“Just like his mother,” he replied, not even bothering to dodge the light slap to the chest. The two of them smiled down at their son, and Gabriel kissed her forehead, coming as close as he could, a content feeling spreading through his chest.

“That's a good thing.”


	3. First Words

“She called me Mama!” Rosa spoke excitedly over the phone, taking a moment to look back at her daughter. Chloé was staring back, bright blue eyes curiously watching every movement she made.

_“Congratulations!”_ Sabine responded happily, _“I wish Marinette's first word had been 'Mama', but she's obviously going to be a daddy's girl. Tom's been bragging for weeks that he came first.”_

Rosa laughed, because it was such a _**Tom**_ thing to do. She made a kissy face towards her little girl, causing Chloé to widely smile; Pleased with the exaggerated faces her mother always made.

“Well now we have to see who wins, then!” Rosa commented, adjusting the pale yellow blanket around Chloé when she shifted forward, reaching for a lock of her hair. “Dads or moms! It's all up to Celeste to win it for us.”

She heard Sabine's surprised laugh echo through the phone, and the resounding curse that followed directly afterwords when it woke Marinette. Rosa smiled sympathetically, knowing how stressful those loud cries could be.

It took a few minutes, some jostling, and the sounds of a child's lullaby before Sabine came back to the phone.

_“Sorry about that,”_ she said quietly, _“I didn't realize we were having a competition like that, though.”_

“Of course we are!” Rosa brushed off the apology without a word. “And we're going to win!”

_“I guess only time can tell, really.”_

Rosa could hear the sounds of Tom in the background, the footsteps he couldn't quiet down no matter how hard he tried.

_“Sorry, Rosa, I've got to go. Tom really needs my help in the bakery.”_

“That's okay, go ahead.” Rosa said, she was used to their calls being interrupted. The bakery was becoming so busy this season!

_“We're still doing lunch tomorrow, right?”_ Sabine asked quickly, obviously rushing to get ready.

“Yup! All three of us, my place. And our precious bundles, of course.”

_“Alright, maybe we can try to get Adrien talking, win that competition?”_ Sabine joked.

Rosa smiled brightly.

“You bet.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lunch with the girls was always fun, and even more fun now that their kids were learning basic motor skills. It was great to see Chloé and Marinette communicate, baby talk that couldn't be translated but was _always_ cute. And for Adrien, who was a few months behind them in age, it was incredibly enjoyable just to watch his bright green eyes follow their every movement, taking in every attempt to stand, their forceful crawling. Soon, he'd be joining them.

It had been a while since Rosa had declared war on the men, determined to win the 'first word' game. Luckily for all of them, it seemed as if Adrien was finally ready to put an end to it all. The competition was getting way out of hand! Money had been put onto the line, over a word!

So it wasn't surprising that they all focused in on little Adrien, his lips moving, gurgling sounds escaping as he tried to form _something_ understandable. Marinette and Chloé played on in the background, giggling and mumbling to eachother, uncaring about what was going on with the adults.

Celeste bent closer to her son, drawing those eyes to hers. She smiled widely, excited to see such determination from her son.

“Mama,” Celeste spoke slowly, her son focused in on her voice, on her lips. “You can do it! Say Ma-ma.”

Adrien moved his head side to side, the only sign he was listening being the little _“mm”_ sounds he kept releasing.

“My sweet little boy.” Celeste cooed, “It's _Ma-ma_.”

Adrien furrowed his little brows, obviously focusing hard.

“ _Ma_ \--” he began, only to stop short, an unhappy look on his face.

“So close.” Celeste sighed, backing away from him. She chose to ignore Rosa's giggles, knowing if she spoke to her the woman would only tease her for her 'impatience'.

“Mari, **no**! Sweetie, you can't eat that!” Sabine left the table to grab the carpet lint that Marinette had found, causing the little girl to screech until she was given a teething ring.

Celeste was so focused on her friend's situation, she didn't notice her little boy's eyes focusing in on Sabine. His mouth opening as he tried to find the words, struggling with every moment.

“ _Ma-we._ ” he said, causing all three women to turn back to him, shocked by what they swore they had just heard.

“What?” Celeste asked, there was no way...

“ _Ma-we_! **Ma-we**!” Adrien repeated, pleased with himself. He repeated the word over and over, louder and louder with each release.

“Mari?” Celeste said, causing a happy giggle from the little boy.

“Ma-we!”

Little Marinette, who was just beginning to recognize her name, babbled excitedly, making eye contact with the boy. Chloé, not one to be ignored, crawled to Marinette, grabbing her cheeks in hopes of regaining her attention.

“I guess...none of us win.” Rosa said slowly, unable to quell her laughter at the absolute confusion on Celeste's face. “Your boy's going to be a heart breaker one day, already saying little girl's names!”

Sabine seemed nervous, unable to even sit back down with all that had just happened.

“Celeste I'm so sorry, I---” she tried to apologize, but when Celeste turned to face them it stopped her train of thought. Tears were flowing down her face.

“That was....so..” Celeste sniffled, trying to regain her composure. “ _Cute!_ I can't even handle it, that was _adorable_.”

She wiped away her tears with a napkin, laughing when Rosa offered her a handkerchief instead.

“You mean...you're not mad?” Sabine asked. She knew how some mother were when it came to 'firsts', she didn't really know what to expect with Celeste.

“Of course not, this is going to be such a good story to embarrass them with when they're older.” Celeste insisted, making Sabine smile. Suddenly, Celeste's eyes widened and she stood up.

“Watch Adrien real quick, okay? I've got to call Gabe!”

 

* * *

 

 

Celeste had hoped that her son's second word would be _'Mama_ ', she worked with her son for weeks on attaining that. Only for his second word to be _'Dada'._

Gabriel deserved the pillow to the face when his first reaction was to laugh at her irritated expression.


	4. Separation Issues

 

 

 

It had been a stressful week for Rosa Bourgeois and Sabine Cheng. As it was, their entire normal schedule had shifted. This was, of course, all due to a certain supermodel being cleared to return to work. Which had, of course, prompted Gabriel to find a location in Italy for his upcoming summer line. So off the Agreste's had went, baby in tow, and everything in their lives changed.

For one, Celeste's days with the kids had to be fixed since she was temporarily out of the Country. It had taken quite a bit of effort on both Rosa and Sabine's parts to figure out a good schedule. They finally figured it out after the second day, and everything seemed to be going alright.

But then it began. Chloé and Marinette had taken their first nap together, without Adrien in the midst...and it all fell apart after that. The girls became impossible to deal with during nap time.

It truly didn't make sense, they were far too young to truly notice the absence of their cradle companion. And yet, somehow they did. Chloé would shift into Adrien's normal space, Marinette would roll into her, and the two of them would awaken in a huff; completely impossible to sooth. They became crying messes, kicking and screaming and anything that tried to come close to them, even their own _mothers._ Maybe they really did realize he was missing?

Rosa promised herself she'd look up whether or not this was common with young children at a later date, when they weren't screaming loud enough to pierce her eardrums.

“It's okay!” she spoke quickly, trying to calm them down with rattles, shaking them wildly. She wasn't surprised when it didn't work, nothing she'd done yesterday had worked either. They'd slept perfectly fine at night, when they were on their own. Why was this so different?!

She sighed as Marinette leaned her chubby cheek on Chloé's chest, inconsolable. Rosa could only hope that Celeste was having an easier time then them.

 

* * *

 

 

Celeste was not having an easier time with Adrien; or should it be said that _Gabriel_ wasn't.

“What's wrong, my silly boy?” He cooed, trying to sooth the baby in his arms. It was unsettling to see such an intense reaction from his child, he wasn't much of a crier. Not until now, it seemed.

Celeste was on shoot, far too busy with meeting his deadlines to sooth their son. Not that he minded, he loved being with his son...usually. But when he'd gotten the call that the nanny in charge of watching him had panicked when nothing she'd done helped, he'd came back to screams and tears. She'd tried every trick she knew, but he just wouldn't stop. The nanny had hoped a familiar presnce would sooth him, but it didn't.

“Do you miss your friends?” Gabriel asked quietly, realizing that this was around the time Adrien would nap with the girls. Was he somehow aware of it? Of his missing companions? Gabriel didn't know, had no experience to compare it to. This was their first time out of France since he'd been born, how were they supposed to know this would happen?

When it became obvious that nothing was going to stop the angry, exhausted infant, Gabriel decided it was time for a little ingenuity. He sighed as he shifted the boy in his arms, reaching for the hotel's phone by the bed. He called the number he'd memorized months ago, long before Adrien had been born.

The moment he heard the sounds of screaming babies, he knew without a doubt this was a shared problem.

How unfortunate.

“Rosa?” he said, waiting until he heard a tired confirmation before he continued. “I've got an idea.”

 

* * *

 

 

Twenty minutes later, after constant baby babbling and squealing between phone lines, they had three, peacefully sleeping children. Gabriel leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he gazed at his son's happy expression, phone still sounding baby snores by his face. He was afraid of what would happen if he hung up the phone, he didn't want to risk it. Not after all that work.

This was a whole new, unexpected set of problem they would have to deal with, and soon. Maybe they'd have to figure out a way for the kids to not be separated so this wouldn't keep happening, at least until they were old enough to explain why they were upset.

That was when Gabriel realized they still had three more days here, and he groaned. He'd pay the long distance fees if his child would just _nap_ properly.

 

 

 


	5. Another Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids are beginning school! Their parents can only hope they'll make some more friends, but it won't be that easy..

To say Adrien, Chloe, and Marinette were friends was an understatement. From the moment Adrien was born, the three of them had only been seperated a handful of times-the memory of those times still haunted Gabriel. The three mothers spent most of their free time bonding with the children, and letting them in turn bond with eachother. Chloe and Marinette obviously adored one another, clinging to eachother and constantly playing. They learned from eachother, until Adrien was big enough to join them in their playtime. Then it changed from two to three of them constantly communicating, loving eachother as only innocent children could-without reserve or expectation.

  
For the first part of their lives, they spent their time together, being passed from mother to mother as the women found themselves rejoining the work force. A day at Sabine's, surrounded by bakers and the treats they provided. Then it was to the Bourgeois home, where countless toys waited for them. Finally a day was to be spent with the Agreste's, where their options were seemingly endless. The children never found themselves wanting for attention, and even if the adults they were with happened to busy, they _always_ had each other. 

When speech became an added part of their lives, no one was shocked when, along with their standard ' _ma_ ' and ' _pa_ ' came along ' _Mari_ ', ' _drien_ ', and of course; ' _Chlo_ '. Or, in Chloe's case, ' _Nette_ '. 

But all good things must eventually end, and although their parents had no intention of separating them --as they all considered the children _theirs_ in some way--they knew their kids needed more social stimulation. And with the growing stress of business and life in general, they knew they needed to put their children on a new path.  
That was how Mrs. Bourgeois found herself dropping three rambunctious three year old children off to pre-school. She kissed each of them goodbye, gathering them all into a giant hug, before standing up straight. 

"Be good now. Gabriel will come pick you up today, after class. So don't go home with any strangers!" she waited for the children to nod, before continuing, eyes wet. "Make lots of friends and play nice, okay?" she said, and the three of them shared a look she couldn't comprehend, before returning their gazes to her. 

"Okay, bye Aunt Rosa!" "Bye Mommy!" they spoke in unision, before running off to join their class.

  
She sniffled once, clearing the tears that had spilt with the back of her hand. this was a big step for their kids! She decided to head over to the teacher in charge, unsure as to whether she wanted to beg them to keep her babies safe or threaten them. The woman looked at her as if she completely understood the struggle she was going through, and before any words could come out, she spoke.

  
"Don't worry, we'll update you if anything happens immediately. We're very safe, and we have the highest rating in the country for learning standards. Your children will be very content here."

  
Rosa knew that. How couldn't she? The parents had poured over schools together for months, none of them willing to settle for anything less than the best. When the Dupain-Chengs worried over the price, Gabriel had simply hired them under contract to make all of the goods for his company parties, paying a much larger sum then necessary. Then, when the time came for classes, her husband had pulled some strings to make sure their children could stay together. Would likely do the same the next year, and then next after that.

  
Rosa had grown up accustomed to such power displays, and hadn't even blinked when her husband had used his. Their children deserved everything they could provide. 

"Thank you, I appreciate your understanding." Rosa responded, and the teacher smiled.

  
She turned her eyes back to the class, hoping to see her children forging new bonds, and watched as the three of them introduced themselves to their curious classmates, a teacher's aide beside them. However, the moment introductions were over, the three of them immediately moved away from the others, secluding themselves off at a corner table.

  
Rosa sighed, hopes of them making more friends on their first day dashed.

  
This was going to be harder then she thought. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm totally getting back into this now, I had to get a new computer so it took me a bit of time to get back into writing shape! I hope you guys enjoy this series! As I've said before, Chloe's personality won't actually be changing that much, her feelings towards Marinette will--of course, but her personality won't suddenly be super nice. Just as Adrien and Marinette will generally be the same, just with the added support of years of friendship. Now when it comes to their superhero personas...well. You'll see. 
> 
> As always, I'm totally down for requests/prompts for this series, I love writing them growing up together!

**Author's Note:**

> So for those of you reading this, welcome! I'm writing this story because I've had a major case of writer's block and this is helping me get out of it! I really hope you're excited for more, I'm excited to explore how a Marinette/Chloe friendship would change things, and I couldn't get the idea of the three of them being close friends from the beginning, and how Marinette would handle them! 
> 
> (for those of you who read painting revolution and are waiting for an update I am so sorry, it's coming soon. It's been super hard to write for)


End file.
